Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-15

with ice. Across 1t, after bare interval
of another quarter of a mile, stretched
the dense primeval forest for width of
quite mile, intersected with bride paths,
and half broken roads for ox-teams. Be-
yond this, alternate clearings and patches
of woods brought the wayfarcr to the
house of Mr.. Carruth.
Upon the night of December 81, the
children at the Davenant house had all
been put to bed, and Isaiah and his wife
were sitting up. waiting for Roger. The
clock was upon the stroke of eleven when
his horses hoofs were heard. Isaiah went
to the door with candle; there was brief
parley; and then the voice of the elder
brother was heard calling loud and sharp
to his wife:
"Ruth-for Heavens sake, come here!
Something is the matter with Roger"
She flew to the door. Isaiah was hold
ing the horse by the bride, with the other
arm about Roger. The face of the latter
was pale; his eyes were dull; he spoke not
q word, nor did he seem to notice any one.
Obeying her husbands direction, she sup
ported Roger into the house, while
he took care Of the horse. Return
ing after an interval of ten minutes,
Isaiah found his brother seated in the
rocking chair, and his wife yainly trying
to attract his attention, to make him speak.
He sat, as for the next five years and more
he sat and walked, dumb, dead to every
thing about him. He knew no one, he
seemed to recognize no one; he uttered no
sound, save now and then deep sigh; his
eyes were dull and cold; his whole express
sion was empty and meaningless; his mind
was hopelessly wrecked.
1t is unnecessary to detail the melan-
choly history Of the years that followed.
He was always the same, no matter who
was before him. His brother and sister,
his betrothed the boys of the family, his
friends and acquaintances-non were
recognized. He ate and drank mechanically
what was set before him: he walked unre-
sistingly wherever he was led; he never
opposed any direction or management; but
never, until the day Of his death-save on
one occasion, to be noted-did he display
the slightest intelligence.
The news Of this strange case went all
|
the Davenant home. Physicians came
from afar to examine the victim Of this un-
solvable mystery. They questioned about
his education, his habits of life, his attach
ment to Miss Carruth, his relations with
his brother, and his brothers family.
Upon the answers to these questions, there
was perfect agreement among the
RI, oE
dous, some extraordinary shock, could
have possibly dethroned such mind, and
reduced it to the condition in which they
found it.
But what could that cause have been? II
was in attempting to answer that question
that science and medicine were completely
baffled.
1t was very early suggested that Roge,
Davenant had that evening quarreled will
his betrothed, and that his reason hac
yielded to the blow. The truth shortly
came out, that upon that night, with the
consent of Gcrtrude's parents, the follow
!, ing Christmas day was fixed for the we'd
. ding At10o'clock he had said good Oh
to Gertrude, and mounted his horse, will
, that understanding.
Suggestions and speculations We're no
wanting to account for the utter wreck O.
Roger Davenants mind. 1t was said tina
he had seen specter in the wood. Som,
:. were sure that he was himself criminal
. and that his conscience had driven him t,
= madness. Others affirmed that he hat
been the witness of some hideous crime OF
> this road, and that the terrors of the scene
with, perhaps, an obligation Of secrecy i'm
posed upon him by the murderers upon hi
:, discovery, had driven him insane.
o But these were merely guesses. It wa
never discovered that any crime was com
;, mitted, or that any extraordinary inciden
occurred in this neighborhood upon thn
- night. Careful and repeated searches an
= inquiries failed TO disclose anything Of thi
- character. There was just one circum
- stance which seemed to throw a shadow Q
suspicion upon one locality of this route
:. II was suggested that some discovery migl
:. be made by mounting Roger Davenant an
~ leading his horse over the exact way he wa
- supposed to have pursued from Mr.. Ca,
ruths. The experiment was tried. AS til
deep wood was approached the unwillin
l., rider grew uneasy; when they tried to max
: his horse enter he leaped from the saddle
and with unintelligible cries of terror, b
n fled back to the ford
When his dementia was pronounce
" hopeless, Girrude Carruth married ma
:, who was about 10 remove to the West. E,
!, cept among the most romantic Of the youn
,f people of this fast-growing neighborhoo,
she was not censured. Isaiah and his vii
n approved of her marriage. at is enough
~ the sorrowing brother said, chat one lii
. should be blasted. Let us not have two.
But it seemed as if these two lives WEI
- bound together beyond the power of chang
or circumstance to sever them. Thre
X, brief years passed, and Gertrude returne
y from the West, widow. There was L
- change in the condition of Roger Davenan
- he knew her no more than when she ha
=. left him. but the double grief and bereave
% ment which she had suffered seemed I
draw her again to the poor wreck WHO ha
= forgotten her in forgetting all the worlt
~ So it happened that she was present at b